RECESS!! The Experience: An Indoor Blacklight Snowball Fight on Staten Island

RECESS!! The Experience has set up on Level 2 of Empire Outlets in St. George, Staten Island, billing itself as NYC's first indoor blacklight snowball fight. Players lob glowing snowballs at family and friends in a dark, music-filled arena. The run covers October and November, with multiple sessions each day.

Beyond the snowball battle sits Orbtopia, a neon play world with more than 20 hands-on zones. Expect air-powered ball cannons, Gopher Pong, where you fire ping-pong balls at your crew, sticky orbs, wall-sized interactive video games, a Wishing Wall and a quieter Glow Dome for catching your breath. Visits typically last 45 to 90 minutes, and most families stay about an hour.

Adult tickets start at $24.50 plus a $2.94 booking fee. Seniors 65 and over, students 13 to 26, guests with disabilities and military pay $21.50 with photo ID at the door. Children 2 and under are free, and anyone under 13 must be accompanied by someone 16 or older. The space is ADA accessible, and sensory accommodations are available on request. Hours are Saturday 11 am to 7 pm and Sunday noon to 5 pm, with last entry 45 minutes before closing.

Getting there is part of the outing. The free Staten Island Ferry from Lower Manhattan passes the Statue of Liberty, and the venue is about a four-minute walk from the St. George terminal, next to the NYC Ferry landing. Empire Outlets has shops and waterfront dining, and the Staten Island 9/11 Memorial, Snug Harbor and the National Lighthouse Museum are nearby. Birthday parties and group outings can be booked at info@recessxp.com.